


The Suthay Chronicles Chapter 1: A Cat in Cyrodiil

by Vicsvinny



Series: The Suthay Chronicles [3]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Cyrodiil (Elder Scrolls), Dunmer (Elder Scrolls), Gen, Imperial City (Elder Scrolls), Khajiit (Elder Scrolls)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25118443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vicsvinny/pseuds/Vicsvinny
Summary: The Adventure begins.
Series: The Suthay Chronicles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817335
Kudos: 1





	The Suthay Chronicles Chapter 1: A Cat in Cyrodiil

**\------The Imperial City Market District 9:00 a.m------**

The market was already bristling with the morning crowds  
Shopkeepers peddled and announced their wares, customers and onlookers pushed their way through the masses, guards watched over from their posts, all the while the simple disparaged pickpocket drifted silently through, snatching purses and coin pouches alike.  
At a small jewelry stand stood a Khajiit. A grey-furred and black-striped Suthay. Dressed in leather-bound armour, a bow and quiver which lacked any arrows was slung across her shoulders, and a steel short-sword sprayed with dried blood sheathed along her waist.  
The owner of the stall; an Altmer gave the Khajiit a curious look as she perused over the various rings, necklaces, earrings and gems laid out under glass cases.  
She stood a head and shoulder smaller than him, however she was obviously an adventurer. And one who had seen recent combat if her current dress was anything to go off of.

“Ah.. a Khajiit. And one who looks like she would have some coin too” He muttered  
The Khajiit gently raised her head. She was wearing a hood, but none of which a discernible thief might wear to hide oneself. Rather, her hood was more for the rainy weather, as the Autumn season had recently arrived.  
“Khajiit has coin” She said with a discernible Khajiiti accent.  
The Altmer folded his arms with a single nod  
“Just don’t give me trouble Khajiit. These cases are infused with special ward magics. You ain’t gonna bust them before the guards can catch you.  
The Khajiit lowered her ears and snarled slightly  
“This One is no thief. And she takes offense at being compared to one.”  
The Altmer held up his hands  
“Alright alright calm down. No need to get worked up. I just see a lot of sketchy folk pass by. And.. Well.. You cats don’t have a very good reputation. Especially around priceless jewelry.”  
The Khajiit gave another brief snarl before looking back over the cases  
“So… Anything in particular you're looking for?” The Altmer asked  
“A necklace” she responded  
“Oh. Alright. Well we have a few types. Silver, gold, even imported ruby-encrusted from Stros-M’kai. What kind of price-range are you thinking?”  
“200”

The Altmer stood back and folded his arms with a disdainful breath  
“Yeeeaaahh… See, this stuff is.. Not cheap to come across. Most is imported from out of province y’know. For 200, maybe you could go for bronze? Or.. Ha! hammered steel?”  
He gave a brief snicker  
“Oh..” She quietly muttered  
“I thought you said you had coin? I mean.. Even you cats should know that jewelry, FINE jewelry isn’t cheap.”  
The Khajiit lowered her ears slightly before reaching around at her backpack  
“Well.. um.. What about a trade?”  
The Altmer scoffed  
“A trade?? What do you have that would be of any interest? Your Grandmother’s garnet?”  
She shook her head, reached into her backpack and placed a small blue gem on the counter-top  
The Altmer stared down at it. Slightly stunned at the sudden gesture.  
“How much will that go for?” The Khajiit asked, with a noble grin  
The Altmer held it up in the burgeoning sunlight, scrutinizing the gem  
“This.. this is a beautiful sapphire!” He remarked  
“Where did you find this?”  
The Khajiit shrugged her shoulders and reached into her backpack, placing a few small chunks of gold; along with a sizable diamond shard  
“Found all this with Goblins. As This One was killing them.”  
The Altmer remained numb in place  
“And the 200 septims” She added placing the septim pouch alongside the valuables  
The Altmer shook his head, while coughing to clear his throat

“Ma’am. I clearly misjudged you entirely. I’m sure we can make a deal”  
The Khajiit glowered at him  
“Alimer Renriija. Once Khajiit gives you pretty shinnies. THEN you treat her well..”  
The man nervously tugged at his collar  
“Ahem.. yes.. Well.. But, I must ask as to why you would want a necklace from me, when you're carrying around diamonds and gold?”  
She shrugged a little  
“This One wants to buy a gift for a friend. A friend who has saved.. My tail many times.”  
The Altmer nodded  
“Fair enough. That’s admirable of you. Well.. I dare say that all of this will.. Pay off for one VERY valuable item”. Take your pick”  
“Only one?” She asked in incredulity  
“Why yes. You see, this is all very expensive. And you did find this with Goblins. I mean, who knows what those savages did with these”  
He grimaced after looking back over the gems  
The Khajiit rolled her eyes with an unamused sigh, before pointing out a silver necklace with a small ruby snugly fit in the center locket.  
“Excellent choice. Now, I will take these niceties as payment. All I need is your name for the logs”  
He pulled out a book and pen  
The Khajiit seemed somewhat hesitant for a second  
“It’s.. Taz”  
The man raised a brow  
“Taz.. Just.. Taz..”  
She nodded back at him  
He shook his head  
“Alright then.. Short name. ‘Specially for you cat-folk. There and done. Enjoy your purchase”  
Taz snatched the necklace from him, turned back towards the crowds and left with a whip of her tail.

The Altmer waited until she was far enough, enveloped within the crowds before snickering and dumping the valuable gems into a strongbox underneath the stall  
“Ha. What a stupid, gullible fleabag. With all this, she could’ve bought half the stall.”  
He shook his head in bewildered fascination  
“These saps get easier and easier to trick..”

Taz held the necklace in her hands as she wandered through the busy Imperial streets.  
The silver locket and chain shined brilliantly from the sunlight.  
All around her the hustle and bustle of daily city life drove ever onward, however little of it distracted Taz from her long-awaited mission.  
Mirian is going to love this. Like, the Dunmer loves the colour red.  
For some reason.. Probably because of her eyes.  
And this ruby necklace will look so good on her too!  
Her tail excitedly wagged as she progressed through the colossal gate into the Elven Gardens District.  
All around her stood sky-reaching apartments, children scurried and giggled jovially as they played tag, and far at the main intersection stood a massive marble monument. Erected after the Great War, to symbolize the signing of the White-Gold Concordat.  
As she passed by the colossal Thalmor statue, holding a parchment in one hand, and a sword in the other, she noticed that a nearby Thalmor Soldier was staring at her. Arms folded.  
She glanced over at him, and the Elf noticed  
“Can I help you? Cat?”  
She shook her head  
“Then keep moving along with your chores. And don’t let me catch you giving looks at me again.”  
She snarled at him  
“Look who’s talking you Elv-”  
The Thalmor subtly reached down and placed a hand on his weapons sheath  
“MOVE ALONG” He ordered  
Taz gave a low growl before making her way back onto the main street.  
She had better things to do besides picking fights with Thalmor Sifa anyway..  
Now where did that contact say Mirian lived again?  
Taz gazed around at the Imperial skyline surrounding her.  
She really should’ve asked for a map.

**\------Two Hours Later------**

After losing her sense of direction several times in these narrow, and almost identical side passages and streets, she eventually stood before the door to Apartment 205. Mirian’s Home.  
Taz stepped up the two little slabs of stone to the door, raised her hand and hesitated for a second. It’s been two years since they last saw each other..  
With a sudden burst of courage, she knocked a firm fist against the wooden door, before standing back and waiting.  
A moment went by when nothing happened.  
Thunder rumbled overhead as the skies darkened with rain clouds.  
A few droplets splashed on her hood when a few clicks sounded and Mirian’s door opened.  
A young female Dunmer stood in the frame, giving a confused look at the Khajiit.  
She was of a slim, yet still athletic build, short charcoal black hair, smooth facial structure, and dark red eyes  
Taz stood in place, holding the necklace behind her back and curling her tail around her left leg  
“Umm… Can I help you.. Khajiit?” The Dunmer asked  
“Uh. Yes. My name is Taz and-”  
The Dunmer’s eyes lit up  
“SWEET MARA! TAZ! Forgive my damnable memory! It’s been a while hasn’t it?”  
“Two Years” Taz replied with a shrug  
“Bah. Feels like decades in this city. Please, come in. Cats hate the rain right?”  
Taz gave a polite nod and entered Mirian’s home  
Mirian made her way to the kitchen after closing her door

The apartment was average sized, a staircase led up to a second floor where the bedroom was.  
A corner to the right led to the kitchen. The main area laid out before her was the living room.  
It was carpeted with a lovely red fabric, various paintings of the Cyrodiilic landscape were hung on the walls, a large cabinet stood against the staircase, holding within Mirian’s old mercenary equipment.  
A few couches and chairs were arranged near a large stone fireplace to the back of the living room. A warm fire emanated from within it.  
“So Taz. What brings you to my door after all this time? I was worried you had forgotten about me.” Mirian called from the kitchen  
The sound of a kettle went off as Taz plunked herself down on one of the big couches next to the fireplace, soaking in the warmth it gave off  
“I thought it would be nice if..”  
Mirian returned holding a tray with a tea kettle and two mugs  
“I thought I might surprise you”  
Mirian poured and handed Taz a mug of herbal tea before sitting in the comfy chair across from Taz.  
“Well. You achieved that quite well. I certainly wasn’t expecting to see you today. Or at all really… Why haven’t you visited sooner?”  
Taz carefully sipped her hot tea as Mirian observed  
“I hate coming to this stupid city. How do you Elves say it ‘I always feel out of place?”  
“Sounds right to me. And I get that. I really do. Ever since those Thalmor N’wahs properly set up their big fancy embassy it’s been getting worse around here. But.. yeah. I understand you feeling like a minority. Dunmer aren’t treated in high regard around here either. Something about my people being ‘a disgrace to ElvenKind.’ Bull-crap like that.”

“I am still happy that Mirian is still Taz’s friend”  
Mirian grinned warmly at her  
“Always. You're the only real friend I’ve ever had. I’m glad to see you again. But.. enough with that sappy stuff. What have you been up to for 2 years? Your fur looks a lot less.. Fluffy than when we last saw one another”  
Taz glanced down at her arm, running a hand through the fur  
“Khajiit has worked a lot. I came back from a quest of clearing out a Goblin cave”  
“Oh that sounds like fun. Did you find good loot in there too?”  
“Yes. Plenty.. And.. Well.. I bought you this today”  
She held up the necklace  
Mirian paused and looked at it, dangling from Taz’s hand, before getting up and holding it in her hand  
“You got this for me?”  
Taz nodded with a beaming smile  
“Aw… you little fuzzball that’s so sweet. But.. why buy me something in the first place?”  
“You're a friend. A good friend” Taz replied with a sip of her tea.  
Mirian smiled and hugged Taz  
“I love it. Thank you”  
Taz took another drink of her tea as Mirian was hugging her

Mirian stood back with a nervous expression  
“I uh.. Hope that didn’t make you uncomfortable.. Y’know.”  
Taz crossed one leg over the other  
“Khajiit is aware you like other illitena. Females”  
Mirian sputtered  
“No! You DON’T know that I..”  
Taz gave her skeptical look  
“Yeah ok fine. I like other females. But Janessa was.. Even you gotta admit. She was amazing. Her curvaceous body, her personality. Everything so firm and approachable. And the way she sang..”  
Mirian gazed off at the ceiling in fond memory  
Taz nonchalantly sipped her tea, finishing it off  
“Khajiit never really thought about it back then”  
“Oh come on Taz. One of these days you need to find yourself a nice special someone. Y’know, have little kittens or.. Whatever comes out of a Khajiit and Man or Mer.”  
Taz shook her head  
“Khajiit isn’t looking for love”  
Mirian raised a finger  
“That’s the thing though. You never know when it’ll happen. Sure you say that now, but think. Two weeks from now, you’ll be in the bar, drinking away a bad memory and the cutest.. Man.. Cat.. will come up, lean against the counter, gaze into your eyes and say _‘Hey there gorgeous. Your tail is so firm and shapely”_  
Taz gave her a confused look  
“Why would he comment on my tail?”  
Mirian paused and glanced over at Taz’s tail as it comfortably sat on the cushion  
“Uh.. I just thought that’s the kind of thing that Khajiit look for in women”  
Taz kept giving her the look as she shook her head  
“That’s just weird Mirian.”  
“OK. So he doesn’t comment on your ‘firm and shapely’ tail. But he sweet-talks you. And then you find yourself attracted to him. His abs, his ‘charming’ personality. The bulge in his pants. Soon enough, you're renting a hotel room, spend the night passionately making out, and then babies are made. Miracle of Life!”  
Taz flapped her tail against the cushion  
“Sure. Maybe once the stupid ‘Heat’ comes back..”

Mirian could tell that Taz didn’t want to speak any further on this topic. She always was a little.. ‘Shy’ to talk about sex and relationships.  
“Hey Taz. You like to read right?” Mirian asked, bringing up a new topic  
Taz perked an ear up in the air as if she was trying to listen for something  
“Because I recently read this great little book. Written by an ORC of all people. I mean.. An Orc writing a decent book. Heh. Not too many of those-”  
Taz shushed her and raised both of her ears  
“What’s wrong?” Mirian asked, a shred of concern in her tone  
Suddenly there was a thunderous banging on her door  
**‘BY ORDER OF THE ALDMERI DOMINION AND YOUR MAN EMPEROR YOU WILL OPEN THIS DOOR!”**  
“Oh by Vivec’s hairy asscheeks..” Mirian muttered, getting up and proceeding to the door  
“Why are the Thalmor here?” Taz asked  
“It’s this stupid thing they randomly do, where they go around and search people for Talos worshipers. This is the THIRD time in the past TWO months they’ve searched me. And i’m not even human!”  
**“OPEN UP DUNMER. WE WILL KICK THIS DOOR DOWN IF WE NEED TO”**  
Mirian grumbled and opened the door  
“Why hello aga-”  
Immediately 3 Thalmor barged in, shoving Mirian to the side as she attempted to politely greet them  
“About damn time you answered the door. You are pushing your luck Dunmer..” The Wizard sternly spoke to her as his men entered the residence  
“Search the building” He ordered  
“Is this really necessary? You’ve searched my home already this month.” Mirian expressed to the Wizard

The Altmer glanced over, or rather down at her. He was at least two heads taller than her.  
“Of course this is ‘necessary’. You are under suspicion to have affiliations with known Talos worshipers. And thus, to secretly be one of them. And as the law dictates, we cannot JUST arrest you on bare suspicion alone.”  
Mirian rolled her eyes  
“Is that it? I had a romance going on with this Nord up in Bruma. But I haven’t heard any word from her in at least four months!”  
She paused  
“Oh wait..”  
Taz quietly listened from the couch as a soldier searched near her, paying the Khajiit little mind.  
“That is irrelevant, Mirian. We have done a sweep in Bruma. And we have found no evidence linking you to any Nords up in that arctic Hellhole. Yet we still have our suspicions. And for that we have reason to ensure you aren’t violating the White Gold Concordat and the outlaw of Talos worship.”  
“Oh for the love of Mara, Aramon. I’m not even Nordic or HUMAN. What has Talos ever done for me? He subjugated my people.”  
The Altmer ‘Aramon’ took a deep and weighty sigh before waving her off  
“I have no desire to argue this frivolous banter with you any further.”  
He took a step forward, inspecting the home, then spotted Taz  
“Ah. i see you have a guest”  
Taz looked back at him  
“Yes. She is an old friend of mine. Back when I used to run as a caravan guard/” Mirian replied  
The other soldier searching near her now directed his attention to Taz  
“Huh. Yes. She wouldn’t happen to worship a mere man now would she?” Aramon asked out loud  
Mirian shook her head  
“This One is not overly religious. And then, she only worshiped the Khajiiti Pantheon.”  
Taz declared firmly to Aramon

He gave a dissatisfied grunt and approached her, looking the Khajiit over  
Taz remained still, looking back at him, albeit feeling a little intimidated.  
“You cats have always been unpredictable. And still some of you harbour animosity even after it was the Thalmor who brought your damn moons back from the void. And why worship a man, when you already have the 8 Divines?”  
They stared silently at each other for a moment  
“Tell me this Khajiit. Have you not ever looked upon the face of Tiber Septim and felt an urge to kneel before his visage? To bow your head and utter a silent prayer?”  
“ARAMON KNOCK IT OFF!” She doesn’t worship Talos and neither do I. Now get out of my house and go interrogate the Nord down the street instead.” Mirian bellowed furiously.  
Aramon gave a huff and folded his hands behind his back  
“Very well Mirian. We shall leave your little hovel. But know this, if I EVER catch you even bending your knee to Talos. I will personally dismember your hands at a public execution.”  
He rallied his men and left the building, slamming the door shut behind them.

“Bastard of a s'wit” Mirian remarked  
“What was that about??” Taz asked  
“Like I said. It’s the Thalmor’s stupid Talos Hunt things. They believe that the ongoing worship from Skyrim thanks to that rebellion has spread down here. So they organize these witch hunts to root them out.”  
“Do you worship Talos Mirian?” Taz muttered  
Mirian looked back at Taz as she carried away the tea tray  
“No. If anything I’m more likely to worship the Tribunal like my family back at Tear does. Bunch of Heretics they are..”  
Taz fiddled with her hands  
“This one.. Thinks she should go. It’s getting late”  
Mirian peeked out from the kitchen  
“It’s only mid-day”  
“Yes well.. Khajiit needs to rent a room before they give it to someone else. Not Khajiit.”  
“Why don’t you just stay here with me for the night?”  
“Oh.. that’s.. Kind of you but..”  
“I’ve got a couch or comfy chair up in my bedroom you can sleep on. Or my bed but..”  
Taz glanced at the floor  
“I don’t know..”  
“Aw come on. I promise I won’t try anything. It’s not like i’m lonely or anything.. aannnd besides. I don’t know if I could sleep with a cat….”  
She chuckled nervously  
Taz glared silently at her, then sighed  
“Fine. I doubt that ‘Pricey Mary’ at the Imperial Hotel will rent to Khajiit.. Especially after last night anyway..”  
“What happened last night?”  
Taz got up from the couch  
“Bad dream”  
“Just a bad dream? Why would that make them refuse to rent you a roo-”  
Taz gave her a straight look and spiked her claws  
“Bad dreams and claws don’t work well together”  
Mirian nodded  
“Ah. Well, go make yourself at home. It’s going to be grat having you here! It’s a sleepover!”  
Taz lowered one ear slightly then made her way upstairs

Mirian released a short squeal  
It was really nice to have Taz back after 2 years  
She’s afraid to admit it but.. She kind of likes that little feline.  
She sat still for a second and felt the necklace around her neck, when she heard the bedroom door open upstairs.  
**“MIRIAN! WHAT IS THIS BOOK? THE LUSTY ARGONIAN MAID??”**  
Mirian froze, then flew up from her chair  
“Oh! That’s nothing Taz! Just.. put it back where you found it!”  
“Tojay-Raht’s Shedding Mirian! Are you into Lizards??”  
Mirian’s face was a reddened state as she stormed her way up the stairs  
“I TOLD YOU TO PUT IT BACK!!”  
All the while, Taz snickered from the bedroom


End file.
